Cheap Sunglasses Can Ruin Your Eyes

Don't take any chances of doing damage to your eyes by choosing cheap imitation sunglasses. That's right, they may look cool and like the real thing, but they could actually hurt your eyes even more than not wearing any sunglasses at all.

Hey, it's finally the time of the year to put away the heavy sweaters, coat, gloves and hats. And get out the fun things to wear, like shorts, T-shirts, casual shoes and of course, shades.

But those cool shades not only should look good, they should also work good. As in giving your eyes the protection they need from those dangerous UV rays.

These rays from the sun can do serious damage to your eyes. They can cause macular degeneration, growth on the eyes, cataracts or blindness.

"Don't go to the dollar store and pick up a cheap pair of sunglasses thinking you're saving money there. In the long run, you're just causing more harm than good," says Dr. Vin Dang.

Sunglasses are regulated by the FDA, and if they're safe they'll have a sticker on them that says, "UV 100%" or "UV 400."